Lin Qingge curved her lips into a roguish smile upon hearing this.
"What if I said I wanted your life, would you give it to me?"
"Qingge, why are you also disobedient like your elder brother? Must I lock up both your hands and feet before you will stay by my side forever?"
However, Lin Qingge, having recovered from her initial shock, ignored Lin Yan's sickly yet dangerous gaze and casually spread her hands.
"Big Brother, wake up. According to the Great Xia Kingdom's laws, illegally detaining someone against their will is punishable by caning."
Since caning allowed for the greatest discretion in its execution, with the amount and whether it was administered at all depending entirely on the presiding official's personal judgment, Lin Qingge wasn't exactly spouting nonsense. At the same time, knowing her own value, she became even more audacious. After all, if someone as blessed with great destiny as herself were to meet an untimely end, it would be a long, long time before another like her appeared.
Lin Yan didn't argue with her, merely stating earnestly, "Qingge, whether you believe it or not, I love you. And the primary reason for bringing you back is to hold our wedding. Since you have no parents and your only surviving elder brother is no longer alive, I've asked respected elders in the village to act as proxies for the betrothal gifts and the subsequent ceremonies. As for your dowry, you needn't worry; I have already prepared it for you."
"Prepared my foot!" Lin Qingge couldn't help but curse. Ignoring her weakened body, she flipped over, intending to get out of bed. "Are you out of your mind? Which ear did you hear me say I wanted to marry you and have a wedding with you? And don't bring up your feelings for me. If I had to marry everyone who felt that way about me, I don't even know how many times I would have been married! I admit, I was out of my mind back then, acting on a whim to peek at you bathing, but you're a grown man and suffered no loss. You can't possibly expect me to be responsible for that, can you? Besides, we both have the surname Lin. According to seniority, I should call you cousin. Cousins getting together, have you ever seen a paternal cousin and cousin get married? This is clearly consanguineous marriage!"
Lin Qingge unleashed a barrage of words, but Lin Yan remained unfazed. As he gently forced the agitated Lin Qingge back onto the bed, he continued to speak as if to himself, "Qingge, you don't need to worry about the wedding arrangements. Just rest well and have a glorious send-off. As for the consanguineous marriage you're concerned about, Da Lin Village and Xiao Lin Village have been separate for a hundred years, with five or six generations between them. So, although I have the title of cousin, I am not your true kin. Of course, even if you were my direct paternal cousin, this marriage would still happen."
Feeling as though she had heard a load of nonsense, Lin Qingge slumped back onto the bed. This was because Lin Yan had used a subtle technique when "helping" her. In simpler terms, Lin Yan likely concealed his abilities, much like the Second Prince Cheng. He might be a martial artist, and a skilled one at that. Hating her own weakness, Lin Qingge decided to lie flat and unilaterally refuse communication.
But Lin Yan didn't let her off the hook. "Qingge, when I had someone change your clothes, they checked your belongings. They didn't find any treasure map fragments. Where did you hide it?"
Lin Qingge remained silent, instead pulling the quilt over her head, her refusal evident. Seeing this, Lin Yan wasn't annoyed. He calmly stated his guess, "Is it with Shangguan Wan'er? I've always been puzzled. Shangguan Wan'er's background and personality are vastly different from yours, so why are your relationships so close? Is it simply because you saved her life? Or perhaps she is influenced by your great destiny?"
Could it be that Shangguan Wan'er, also known as Leng Ningyue, was the true daughter of destiny, the so-called protagonist? And she was merely a passerby, at best an inconspicuous supporting character. After all, someone like her, who only cared about solving cases and not romance, wouldn't fit the female-oriented market. Lin Qingge only thought these things in her mind and would never dare to voice them. Furthermore, from his words, she was certain Lin Yan didn't know that Leng Ningyue, like herself, was also a soul transmigator. If Lin Yan knew, would he change his intended bride to Leng Ningyue?
As Lin Qingge lost herself in her thoughts, Lin Yan lifted the quilt from her head and said, as if casually, "Speaking of Shangguan Wan'er, it reminds me of something interesting. As far as I know, before your elder brother Lin Jingxing met his misfortune, he used a special communication method of the Jade Maiden Sect to contact someone. And Shangguan Wan'er happened to be rescued by you on the same night your elder brother Lin Jingxing met his accident. Qingge, don't you find that too much of a coincidence? Although your elder brother Lin Jingxing had no connection with Shangguan Wan'er, don't forget that Lin Ziming, who was saved by your elder brother Lin Jingxing, was sent to stay with you. Lin Ziming is Shangguan Wan'er's biological child. If your elder brother Lin Jingxing used Lin Ziming as an excuse to summon Shangguan Wan'er to see him, it shouldn't have been difficult."
"What are you trying to say?" Lin Qingge sat up in bed, looking at Lin Yan warily. He, however, spread his hands innocently. "Nothing. Qingge, you are most adept at unraveling mysteries, and you will surely find the truth behind your elder brother Lin Jingxing's murder. After all, I truly did not kill your elder brother Lin Jingxing. If you don't believe me, I can swear upon the ancestors of the Lin family!"
Lin Qingge sat there with a grim expression, like a statue, no longer reacting. "Qingge, get some rest. I'll check on you again later." With that, Lin Yan walked out.
Not long after, the door was pushed open again. Lin Qingge subconsciously looked up, finding that the person entering was a familiar acquaintance. It was Liu Chenfei, the third disciple of the Manor Lord of Wolong Villa.
"My Lady, the Master said you haven't eaten for a long time and must be hungry, so he instructed me to bring you some food. As the saying goes, people are iron, and food is their steel; one meal missed leads to great hunger. The Master said you are weak and need to recuperate well in this room so as not to delay the wedding. Therefore, My Lady, even for your own health, you must eat a few more bites, otherwise, you won't look good in your wedding dress when you're too thin."
After柳辰飞 finished his rambling, he couldn't help but ask, "My Lady, why aren't you surprised at all to see me?"
"Where is Qin Han?"
"Replying to My Lady, Qin Han did not accompany us back. He stayed at Wolong Villa."
...
Having received his answer, Lin Qingge didn't say another word. Effectively under house arrest, she was forced into a life of eating and drinking like a parasite.
Two days later.
The drums were beating and the firecrackers were loud. Lin Qingge, dressed in a vibrant red wedding gown, couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Logically, Leng Ningyue and the others should have arrived by now, but there was no sign of them. The wedding-crashing was a minor concern, but she hoped nothing untoward had happened.
At that moment, a peculiar, faint sound echoed from within the room. Lin Qingge lifted her veil and looked towards the sound, realizing with a start that the wardrobe door, which she hadn't noticed before, was wide open. A head covered in stubble slowly emerged from within.
[Author's Note]
I have a family matter to attend to, so I will be taking a day off tomorrow. Normal updates will resume the day after. My apologies, my dear readers! I also wanted to mention that we are nearing one million words. This is my first time writing so much, and I'm a little excited. However, the performance of this book has been really unsatisfactory. The few dollars earned don't even cover the daily electricity bill; I'm truly writing for love. But it is precisely because of your support and companionship that I have been able to persevere. If nothing unexpected happens, it will conclude next month. Thank you again! Sending virtual hugs!